The Skagit/Sauk rivers will be closed Monday and Tuesday for an emergency test fisheries.

Specially selected fly fishermen from Skagit County will conduct a test fisheries on the Skagit/Sauk to determine the viability of certain flies, methods and techniques. Also, the anglers involved will be testing various methods of transportation including but not limited to jet sleds, pontoon boats, drift boats and motorized land vehicles. All test results will be available Wednesday and the two rivers will re-open Wednesday morning to all anglers.

Thank you for your cooperation.

sinktip

04-12-2002, 11:56 AM

Kerry,

I fear there has been a horrible mistake as I just got off the phone with Director Koenings and he assured me that the Monday-Tuesday test fishery was limited to only Snohomish county flyfishers.

Perhaps you got this closure mixed up with the planned Whatcom Creek test sculpin fishery that is scheduled to take place on these same two days. This is limited to Skagit county residents only. I hear those sculpin this year are huge with some topping 4".

All kidding aside, from the looks of the river graphs this morning, the Sauk at least might as well be closed for a few days.

Take care and make sure you adhere to the #22 hooksize restrictions for those sculpin.;)

Moonlight

04-12-2002, 12:48 PM

This post reminds me of a time when a group of "Lake Fishermen" were sitting around a campfire somewhere in the OK lake region of a Western Province. Fishing had been quite good the Traveler Sedges were coming off and we were on our noon time break in a lull in the hatch. There were only a few campsites and we had taken several of those as we were seven total and a couple of extra fellows who were staying in a nearby village where there was Electricity to keep the wife happy. So I guess there were 9 or 10 "Anglers" sitting around the campfire regaling in the glory of our good fortune when out of the blue a commotion was heard as no less than four vehicles came driving in to the campsite.
The lads approached and seemed like a well mannered and decent bunch but really the little lake would not take kindly to this many more anglers so my brain went into warp thought, and in but an instant I had contrived a story that would turn them away and keep the Sedge hatch for the chosen few. At least that was my intent!
As I mentioned they seemed like good guys and being reasonable they came to the fire to say Howdy and were given a warm welcome. The subject of where to camp was broached and with no hesitation I told them that not to worry there would be plenty of campsites by evening as the local Conservation Officer had just announced an emergency closure of the lake effective at midnight tonight.
Now bear in mind I hatched this about to be conspiracy with no prior warning to any of the others at our campfire, and as I looked around I saw not a hint of a smile or anything other than pure piscatorialy perfect obfuscation. The group each took there turn confiming the plight of our little lake and how we were not at all suprised that the CO had taken this action given that the fishing was so poor.
From the looks on the faces of the new arrivals It almost looked like they were relieved as this was to be there seventh lake in five days and most were not all that enthused about setting up camp again anyway. Maybe I added that last to make us look less hienous.
The boys headed back to Bellevue or whereever and we went back to our fishing its rather anticlimactic to tell you that the Sedge Hatch ended just before our campfire lunch break and we stayed for two more days with very little action. Was this Karma or was I clairvoyant and just steering the lads in a good direction.

kush

04-12-2002, 04:21 PM

Funny, the way I read that directive it sounded more like the test fishery would be restricted to visiting Canadian Flyfishers. It went on to explain how this is needed to moderate the extremely biased nature of the competing user groups in Washington state.

sinktip

04-12-2002, 05:08 PM

Tyler,

You must have read the first draft as it originally did restrict the test fishery to only visiting Canucks. Upon further examination, the Department decided that the probability of getting useful data with this user group was minimal. No fish caught equals no data.

Don't feel bad though as I think it has something to do with crossing the border as I spent a week this fall in your great country only to return with the smell of skunk on my waders.

Besides, it could be worse, we could have the Oregon contingent involved. :smokin:

Duggan

Doublespey

04-12-2002, 05:59 PM

I think I'll have the last word on this. :hehe:

Mother Nature

NrthFrk16

04-12-2002, 10:15 PM

Got a call from Andre today as he was curious as to the water conditions because he had to make a trip to Vancouver, BC.

Had to break the bad news to him that the Sauk was OUT.

KerryS

04-17-2002, 09:24 AM

Preliminary test results:

Only a few anglers reporting after test fisheries.

10 to 12 hookups between 3 fishermen (Skagit County fishermen) with 6 or 7 landed. Largest was 39x22.

Prefered transportation. Sled. Pontoon and drift boats left at home due to high water conditions. Pickup trucks and vans for land vehicles. Some walk in.

Sorry can't tell you where where these fish were caught. Local knowledge is everything.

Oh yea, thanks for all of your cooporation in this study.

PS: don't always trust the river gauges.

juro

04-17-2002, 10:49 AM

39x22?

That's a slab. Good overall stats too... great "research" work! ;)

andre

04-17-2002, 04:05 PM

ryan,

thanks for the scoop on the Sauk. I ended up playing golf instead, very poor round but I didn't get rained on. Got home on friday with enough time to do the yards.

hey ryan did you ever send that book?

fredaevans

04-17-2002, 04:59 PM

"Besides, it could be worse, we could have the Oregon contingent involved.

Duggan"

Agree, you Washingtonians would have paled at the high level of "friendly compitition." :hehe:

Fred/Nate/Dave/Mike/et.al. from Southern Oregon.

sinktip

04-17-2002, 05:16 PM

Fred,

I wondered why it took so long for my Oregon brothers to take the bait. I assumed it was because you all were out fishing or were just to mature to fall for a cheap internet insult. Maybe you just read s-l-o-w. :smokin:

All kidding aside, I am greiving over not being able to take my yearly 4 day trip to the Deschutes this year. I miss your great state.

Duggan

KerryS

04-17-2002, 05:38 PM

An update:

One of our researchers continued on through today with 3 more Skagit hard heads hooked up and 2 of these landed before noon.

I would suggest if any of you can get to the Skagit do so now. You will not find fishing this good anytime soon. The rivers are dropping and the fish are moving.

Good luck.

fredaevans

04-17-2002, 05:49 PM

trip for a few days and it goes to hell in a handbasket.:tsk_tsk:

(Dave, Nate, Mike: you're going to have to pay closer attention!)

Think I'll have to start carting around a lap top to keep you guys in some sort of line. But the Good News Duggan is there are direct flights to Medford 3 or 4 times a day and I have an extra car (The Fishing Ford). You're welcome anytime...... even if I wouldn't recommend it for a couple of weeks at least. AKA they need to drop the water flow; river is still clear as a glass of gin but at 6000+ csf you'd need an engine block to get your line to the bottom. Latest steelhead count (all-be-it pretty dated from 4-6) is over 17,500 over Gold Ray dam. Salmon count is still next to zero due to the heavy water flow.

As noted before, at over 3500 cfs out of Warm Springs Dam by time the flow gets to Ranie Falls below Grants Pass it's probably closer to 5500-6000. So if we're running 6,000 plus now the falls are probably underwater in the most literal of descriptions.
fe

NrthFrk16

04-17-2002, 07:11 PM

Andre-
No problem on the report...will do it anytime for any Forum members.

I've been thinking about the book lately and it is just something that keeps falling in the cracks...will pack it up this evening and throw it in UPS tomorrow.

:)

juro

04-17-2002, 08:34 PM

ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! :P

Originally posted by KerryS
An update:

One of our researchers continued on through today with 3 more Skagit hard heads hooked up and 2 of these landed before noon.

I would suggest if any of you can get to the Skagit do so now. You will not find fishing this good anytime soon. The rivers are dropping and the fish are moving.